Wednesday, August 14, 2019
A new brief from the Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health (CISWH)’s HIV, Housing & Employment Project provides guidance on how to integrate navigators into health care organizations to assist people living with HIV. “Navigator” is a broadly used term encompassing a number of staff titles such as Community Health Worker, Peer Navigator, and Patient Advocate. Navigators are typically non-medical roles within a clinic/agency that focus on identifying and addressing client barriers to care and other immediate needs. Navigators can work on a variety of interventions, engage people living with HIV into care, support adherence to care plans and medications, and help patients achieve viral suppression. Navigators, like other community health workers, are able to serve as a bridge between the health care system and the patient to address social service needs such as housing and employment in addition to medical needs.
This brief covers delineation of roles and responsibilities, electronic health records access, clinical supervision, and more. Read the brief at the Target HIV website.